Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | October 2008 26 Compliance Leader of the Pack Jenny Thomson of BMM Compliance explains why its technical support adds important value in an increasingly competitive gaming market in Macau and beyond W hen people think of compliance in the gaming industry, the tendency is to focus on the functional and ethical tests that a piece of equipment or system has to pass in order for it to be introduced into a new market. Compliance consulting also has a wider function beyond adherence to gaming laws—one that can be vital in adding value for operators and equipment suppliers as they strive to improve efficiency and build profitability. This relates to the field of interoperability. Added value “Compliance isn’t only about the testing of products to meet jurisdictional standards, though that’s clearly important,” says Jenny Thomson, Vice President Business Development for BMM Compliance, one of the compliance sector’s leading global brands. BMM has been testing products for the Macau market for several years, but after strong expressions of interest from clients during G2E Asia 2008, it decided to open an office in the city. “From an operator’s perspective, it’s also about making sure that when they put all of that equipment on the floor, it’s operating as they expect it to. “The operator doesn’t want to have down time on the floor.” A contributing factor to technological diversity on casino floors is the tendency for operators to buy what they consider to be the best product of its type, irrespective of whether that means using different suppliers. Different protocols Rival equipment manufacturers may be making broadly compatible systems, but the actual ‘protocols’—the communication methodology that enables the connection, communication, and data transfer between two computing endpoints—can vary from one jurisdiction to another. It’s perfectly possible, for example, for equipment manufacturers to be using the same technology in terms of system platform, but different protocols for in-system and inter- system communication.Sometimes this may be as a result of jurisdictional requirements. This applies not only to whole systems but also at the level of individual functions within a system. For example, the slot player- tracking system of Manufacturer A may be required to‘talk’to the customer relationship management system of Manufacturer B. Any incompatibility between the management systems and/or slots and peripheral systems could have a negative impact on day-to-day efficiency of casino operations and thus be of concern to the gaming licence holder and the regulator. BMM Compliance, one of the compliance sector’s global brands, has been testing products for the Macau market for several years, but after strong expressions of interest from clients during G2E Asia 2008, it decided to open an office in Macau. * BMM’s Macau operation operates as a subsidiary to BMM Australia, an Asia Pacific company based in Sydney, Australia. * BMM was established in 1981, and is the oldest independent testing and certification laboratory in the world, fully servicing the regulated gaming market. * BMM was the first independent gaming testing laboratory to be accredited and certified to ISO/IEC 17025 IT and 17020 Proficiency Testing Standards, making the company a market leader in the support and development of globally recognised technical standards for gaming equipment. Local lab The company intends to set up a local test laboratory inMacau employing local people where possible. BMM also plans to have an office in Singapore so that it can liaise with customers requiring compliance testing for the planned new Singapore casino market. “At G2E Asia in Macau this year, Peter Turner, our Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, had a lot of positive response from operators and manufacturers,” says Jenny Thomson, Vice President Business Development for BMM Compliance. “Operators and manufacturers were saying: ‘We really want you here in the Macau compliance market so we have a choice’. They wanted us here not just in terms of testing, but with a physical presence,” states Ms Thomson. Having that physical presence makes it easier for BMM to sit down with suppliers as well as operators and regulators, in order to discuss regional standards and requirements, she explains. “At the regional level, the development of common standards for server-based gaming, for example, will be driven by the operators and manufacturers in regulated markets. “We enable manufacturers of machines, add-on systems and peripheral equipment to have their product tested to ensure that the system and additional equipment and/or system is functioning as required.” BMM Compliance — a heritage of excellence